Scottish Executive

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Mr Alasdair Morrison (Western Isles) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council held in Luxembourg on 21 and 22 April 2004.

Ross Finnie: Margaret Beckett and Ben Bradshaw represented the UK at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 21 and 22 April 2004.

  The Council concluded its consideration of proposals to reform four Common Agricultural Policy regimes: those for cotton, olive oil, tobacco and hops. Agreement on all four was eventually reached by qualified majority. This was a difficult negotiation but the outcome was highly satisfactory from a UK perspective. Overall, the agreement followed the main principles of the June 2003 reforms with partial decoupling in all four sectors from 2006. The rates vary but that for cotton is 65%, a small increase over the 60% originally proposed, and in the case of tobacco, the rate will be 100% from 2010. Although the UK would have supported higher rates of decoupling in all sectors and an earlier move to full decoupling, this agreement sends positive signals to our trading partners by marking a further step towards a more liberalised and market focussed agriculture in the EU.

  No fisheries items were discussed.

Children

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support the Children's Commissioner in seeking to ensure that all children have their rights protected and, in particular, whether it would support the commissioner in reporting serious breaches of the rights of children to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child should she find it necessary.

Peter Peacock: The Executive is committed to and supports the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We will continue to contribute to UK Reports submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, which monitor implementation of the Convention. The Executive would expect to have the opportunity to address any concerns on breaches of children’s rights in the first instance, where these relate to devolved matters.

Children

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to remove provision of free travel to school for children.

Peter Peacock: The Executive has no plans to remove provision of free travel to school.

Common Agricultural Policy

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of provisions concerning cross-compliance controls under Common Agricultural Policy reform.

Ross Finnie: The public consultation on draft conditions for Cross Compliance (Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition) opened on 19 February 2004 and closes on 21 May 2004.

  I will announce the final shape of Cross Compliance (Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition) in due course.

Common Agricultural Policy

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of the Integrated Administrative Control System under Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform.

Ross Finnie: The text for the integrated administration and control system covering the new CAP schemes has just been agreed by the EC and will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union shortly.

Common Agricultural Policy

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of the use of modulation under Common Agricultural Policy reform.

Ross Finnie: Proposals for the use of modulated money will need to be incorporated into the Scottish Rural Development Programme and approved by the European Commission. The intention is to put forward proposals following consultation with stakeholders and after taking into account decisions on match funding. It is expected that proposals will be submitted to the European Commission in the autumn of this year. An announcement will be made as soon as possible after the Commission has made a decision.

Common Agricultural Policy

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of the use of coupled support, including protein crops, starch potatoes and energy crops, under Common Agricultural Policy reform.

Ross Finnie: General details were provided to producers in the Scottish Executive’s News Release of 14 January 2004 and in a letter sent to all arable producers on 23 February 2004. We await the detailed European Commission Implementing Regulations which are due to be voted on in May. Thereafter we will provide further information to producers.

Common Agricultural Policy

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish details of the use of the new Single Farm Payment Scheme, including the operation of the national reserve, under Common Agricultural Policy reform.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department will write to producers in June with provisional information on qualifying activity for the Single Farm Payment Scheme. More refined information will be provided in the autumn. By that time, we expect to be in a position to provide information on arrangements for the National Reserve. Full details of the Single Farm Payment and the National Reserve will be re-iterated when the scheme comes into force in 2005.

Finance

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is given to public sector bodies, including local authorities, with regard to investment appraisal where the use of public funds is being considered or undertaken.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) requires public sector bodies such as the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the Scottish Executive and relevant bodies sponsored by the Scottish Executive to secure and maintain best value. The characteristics of an organisation which secures best value include systematic approaches to risk management, asset management, strategic procurement, and the integration of review and options appraisal into management arrangements. Public bodies are also reminded that recommendations should be based on financial analysis and whole life costs.

  Best value is a statutory duty for local authorities by virtue of the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 (the act) and guidance on best value characteristics has statutory status by virtue of the section 2 of the act.

  The SPFM is consistent with and recognises the latest edition of the HM Treasury Green Book. It also includes specific guidance on appraisal and evaluation and major investment. While the guidance is aimed primarily at constituent parts of the Scottish Administration it is equally applicable, so far as appropriate, to all other bodies subject to the requirements of the SPFM. In addition, Scottish health boards are required to have regard to the Scottish Capital Investment Manual, which is relevant to the development of capital projects.

  The SPFM does not apply formally to Scottish local authorities, although it is available to them for reference. Like other public bodies they are also encouraged to have regard to any guidance deemed relevant and appropriate to their circumstances whether or not it is published by the Scottish Executive.

  The act also requires local authorities to have regard to generally recognised, published Codes of Practice in the arrangements they make to secure best value; and, more specifically, to have regard to codes which are given statutory designation by Scottish ministers. Most of these codes are relevant to investment appraisal and include:

  The Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities published by Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)

  The Code of Practice for Treasury Management, also published by CIPFA

  Following the Public Pound, published jointly by the Accounts Commission for Scotland and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

Health

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-356 by Susan Deacon on 27 August 1999, whether it monitored these properties to determine whether the public purse received value for money for their disposal.

Malcolm Chisholm: Responsibility for ensuring that the public purse receives value for money from property transactions rests with NHSScotland bodies

  For every property transaction an NHSScotland Body must have a property adviser and in major or potentially complex disposal cases must have in addition an independent valuer. It is the responsibility of these professional advisers to confirm that the price at which the property is being sold represents the market value of the property having regard to its full potential. This is especially important when property is being sold without exposure on the open market as it ensures that in respect of these transactions value for money is being achieved.

  The role of the Scottish Executive is to monitor that transactions have been completed in accordance with procedures detailed in the NHS Scotland Property Transactions Handbook. This has been done and no issues were raised by the trust’s auditors.

Higher Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the non-completion rate was in each university in each year for which figures are available.

Mr Jim Wallace: Non-completion rates are not currently published for higher education institutions (HEIs) in Scotland. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) produces and publishes annual performance indicators for all UK HEIs on behalf of the four UK funding bodies. The performance indicators include a projected outcome for new entrants to full-time first degree courses at the end of their first year of study. These give some indication of expected completion and non-completion rates. The latest figures available cover students who entered courses in 2000-01.

  The following table shows the percentage of new entrants in 2000-01 whose projected outcome at the end of their first year was neither an award or a transfer to another HEI.

  Percentage of Full-Time Students Starting First Degree Courses in 2000-01 with a Projected Outcome at the End of the First Year of Neither an Award nor a Transfer

  

 Institution
 Percentage


 All Scottish HEIs
 17


 University of Aberdeen
 20


 University of Abertay Dundee
 20


 University of Dundee
 16


 University of Edinburgh
 9


 Edinburgh College of Art
 12


 University of Glasgow
 14


 Glasgow Caledonian University
 23


 Glasgow School of Art
 16


 Heriot-Watt University
 13


 Napier University
 20


 University of Paisley
 26


 Queen Margaret University 
  College
 17


 Robert Gordon University
 18


 Royal Scottish Academy of 
  Music and Drama
 12


 University of St Andrews
 7


 University of Stirling
 16


 University of Strathclyde
 17



  Source: HEFCE.

  Data for earlier years are available from the HEFCE website. The web address for this website is http://www.hefce.ac.uk/learning/perfind/default.asp.

Hospices

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms there will be to ensure that NHS boards contribute 50% of the care funding for hospices within two years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive monitors NHS boards’ funding of adult voluntary hospices. We expect that boards and hospices will work together to ensure that the 50% target is met by all boards by the beginning of financial year 2006-07, as indicated in Health Department Letter (2003)18.

Justice

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the number of drug-assisted sexual assaults.

Hugh Henry: We are running an awareness campaign "Who’s Keeping an Eye on Your Drink?" on drug assisted sexual assault through our Know the Score drugs communications strategy, in liaison with the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS).

  The first phase of this campaign took place over Christmas and New Year, and involved posters in licensed premises in Scotland, and leafleting of town and city centre clubs and pubs. Additional information materials, including a DVD, video and a drink cover, will be available shortly. Drug-assisted sexual assault is also covered in new advice for parents about drugs.

  ACPOS has already issued guidance to investigators on drug assisted sexual assault, and preparatory work is under way to develop new guidance for police forces on handling sexual assault cases, including drug assisted sexual assault.

Justice

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug-assisted sexual assaults took place in each regional police area in the last year.

Cathy Jamieson: The statistics available centrally on crimes of sexual assault recorded by the police do not distinguish the requested information.

Justice

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the availability of gamma hydroxybutyrate to the general public.

Hugh Henry: Gamma hydroxybutyrate, more commonly known as GHB, is now categorised as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Possession is therefore, punishable by up to two years in prison (plus an unlimited fine) and supply is punishable by up to 14 years in prison (plus an unlimited fine).

Justice

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what value of, fines have been written off due to (a) the offender receiving a prison sentence or (b) an alternative disposal for failure to pay in each of the last six years.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested for the number of fine defaulters and the value of the fines written off due to the offender receiving a prison sentence is given in tables 30, 30a, 30b, 33, 33a and 33b of Prison Statistics Scotland, 2002, published by the Scottish Executive in 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 29169).

  The available information on the number of supervised attendance orders given to offenders who failed to pay a fine is given in table 32 of Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics, 2002-03 published by the Scottish Executive in 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30274). Information on the number and value of the fines involved is not held centrally.

Local Government Finance

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the use of HM Treasury’s Green Book is compulsory in relation to financial matters and activities of Scottish local authorities.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Green Book applies to appraisal and evaluation in central government. In some cases where the Scottish Executive provides financial support or approval for individual projects to local authorities it is a requirement that guidance that is consistent with Green Book principles is followed.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people there are with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in (a) Scotland and (b) each parliamentary constituency.

Mr Tom McCabe: Exact information is not available centrally. Information from samples of GP records in practices across Scotland, whose population is nationally representative, suggests that approximately 6,700 patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis were seen by GPs in the year ended December 2003. However, this complex condition may be recorded in different ways by GPs, which might lead to some significant undercounting. The Executive’s Short Life Working Group, on the basis of published prevalence rates and population figures, estimated that at least 10,000 people in Scotland were likely to be affected by ME.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives it is supporting in connection with the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Awareness Week May 2004 campaign.

Mr Tom McCabe: While the Executive is not directly supporting any initiative in connection with ME Awareness Week, it welcomes this annual event and the focus it brings to this distressing condition. The report of a Short Life Working Group on CFS/ME, set up by the Executive, was issued to NHS boards last year. The Executive is currently gathering information on the action NHS boards are taking in response to the report.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in response to concerns about current treatment and resource provision in respect of myalgic encephalomyelitis, as referred to in a recent report published by the 25% M.E. Group, Severely Affected M.E. Analysis Report on Questionnaire Issues January 2004 .

Mr Tom McCabe: The 25% M.E. Group is a UK body, and the report referred to is not exclusive to Scotland. It also touches on a number of issues reserved to Westminster. The Executive issued the report of a short life working group, set up to make recommendations for improving services, to NHS boards in February 2003, and is currently seeking progress reports on action taken since.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the resources available to primary healthcare providers for the treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Mr Tom McCabe: NHS boards are expected to provide services for people with all chronic conditions from the unified budgets made available to them by the Executive. Unified budgets for 2004-05 were increased by an average of 7.25% more than the 2003-04 allocations, more than twice the rate of inflation.

National Health Service

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what requests it has received from NHS Highland, or its predecessor body, with regard to the review the board is currently conducting with NHS Argyll and Clyde into the provision of health services in the west Highlands; in particular, whether it has received any request for advice, information or policy direction in respect of (a) training consultants, (b) the application of clinical standards, (c) the working time directive and its application, (d) importing elective surgery from outwith the NHS Highland area and (e) rural general specialism, and whether the Executive will provide any advice or assistance to the boards in respect of these matters.

Malcolm Chisholm: There have been no specific, formal requests from NHS Highland for advice or direction on health services in the West Highlands. The Executive’s policies are clearly set out in the White Papers Our National Health (December 2000) and Partnership for Care (February 2003), as well as in Health Department Letters. There are frequent opportunities for NHS board members and executive staff to discuss policy issues, including those listed in the question, with ministers and officials in the Executive.

Prison Service

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to eliminate illicit drug use in prisons.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS has a comprehensive range of technical and procedural security measures in place designed to minimise the supply of illegal drugs into prisons. The SPS also offers addiction services to all prisoners in its custody.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment is carried out on prisoners at HM Prison Kilmarnock who spend long periods of time in their cells.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Normally prisoners who spend long periods in their cells are prisoners under cellular confinement to maintain good order and discipline, prisoners at risk of self-harm or suicide, prisoners with mental health problems and young offenders on social care orders. Prisoners under any of these conditions are kept in either segregation or health care.

  Prisoners held in segregation are subject to multi-disciplinary case conferences, which identify and assess individual needs for the management of difficult prisoners and their reintegration back into the mainstream population.

  Prisoners held under confinement in the health centre for mental health or self-harm issues or young prisoners on social Care Orders are also subject to multi disciplinary case conferences. The frequency of these case conferences is dependent on need.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been recovered in seized assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in respect of crime relating to (a) drugs, (b) alcohol and (c) cigarettes in each year since the implementation of the Act.

Colin Boyd QC: The Criminal Confiscation powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 came into force on 24 March 2003. The powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act (Scotland) Act 1995 continue to be used in respect of cases with offence dates prior to 24 March 2003.

  For the financial year to 31 March 2004, 56 orders were made under the 1995 act. Orders of £1,356,347.45 were in respect of drug related crime and £114,809.46 in respect of other offences, but none relating to alcohol or cigarettes. In the same financial year one order was made under the 2002 act for £23,208.14, which was in respect of drug related crime.

  For the financial year 1 April 2004 to date, one order has been made under the 2002 Act for £8,403.28. This was in respect of credit card fraud.

  The civil recovery powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) came into force on 24 February 2003. From then until 31 March 2003, no civil recovery orders were made. In the year from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004, one civil recovery order was made, in the sum of £23,986.29. This sum was alleged to be the proceeds of drug dealing.

  The specific provisions of POCA in relation to cash seizure came into force on 30 December 2002. Between that date and 31 March 2003, there were no final orders for forfeitures. In the year from 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 there were 17 orders for the forfeiture of cash, amounting in total to £660,546.66 (excluding interest). All but £71,120 of this figure is believed to have come from drugs.

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the assets received under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 have been distributed to projects, detailing how much each project received.

Hugh Henry: The relevant sections of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 became effective on various dates, up to 24 March 2003. Since actual sums recovered in one financial year, from the budget for the following financial year, we have yet to allocate assets recovered in 2003-04 using the powers provided in the act.

  The First Minister has announced that future awards from recovered criminal assets will support communities affected by the impact of drugs, rather than projects linked to treating and rehabilitating people with drug problems. Details of the new scheme will be announced shortly.

  Previous awards, using pre-POCA powers, were used to support additional addiction services for the Glasgow homeless (£250,000), and to help establish a new network of family support groups who work with the families of drug misusers (£180,000).

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for drugs projects to bid for monies recovered through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to disburse funds recovered by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to local drug initiatives throughout Scotland.

Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-7502 on 10 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Public Private Partnerships

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what payback period is expected in circumstances where a public sector body or local authority wishes to invest in a long-term public private partnership involving public funds.

Mr Andy Kerr: The payback period in a public private partnership project will depend on the specific project, however PPP contracts for accommodation facilities typically last 25 to 30 years. The long term nature of PPP projects means that the whole life costs under the contract are agreed locally and parcelled up into manageable, affordable, annual payments all agreed in advance.

Public Private Partnerships

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether public sector bodies, including local authorities, should undertake displacement effect and distributional impact analysis when appraising a potential public private partnership involving public funds.

Mr Andy Kerr: Potential public private partnership projects should be appraised in terms of their overall value for money compared to conventional procurement. Treasury Taskforce PPP guidance does not currently recommend the use of distributional impact analysis, although this is under consideration for the future. Displacement of economic activity is not considered as the degree of displacement is unlikely to be affected by the choice of procurement route.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what costs have been incurred by each local authority on external consultants and advisers for PFI and PPP projects in each year since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what public sector capital projects involving private finance have been completed since 1997, detailing their start and completion dates; what the total capital investment was in these projects, and what the public expenditure required to service these projects (a) has been since 1997 to date and (b) will be over the lifetime of the PFI/PPP in each year, expressed in both cash and real terms.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-7193 on 20 April 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  The estimated annual expenditure to service these projects on a sector basis since (a) 1997 to date, is shown in the table below in both cash and real terms for each year of the life of the projects. Detailed information for individual projects is a matter for the public sector bodies concerned.

  Existing Deals (Operational and Signed): Estimated Service Payments on a Sector Basis (£ Million)

  

 
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03


 Water and sewerage (cash)
 0.0
 2.5
 16.3
 20.3
 54.0
 67.4


 Water and sewerage (real)
 0.0
 2.8
 18.0
 22.1
 57.3
 69.3


 Further and Higher education (cash)
 0.1
 0.5
 0.5
 1.6
 4.3
 5.0


 Further and Higher education (real)
 0.1
 0.6
 0.6
 1.7
 4.6
 5.1


 Health (cash)
 12.0
 13.0
 17.0
 12.7
 56.1
 71.9


 Health (real)
 13.9
 14.7
 18.8
 13.8
 59.6
 73.9


 Justice (cash)
 0.0
 0.0
 17.0
 15.0
 15.0
 13.0


 Justice (real)
 0.0
 0.0
 18.8
 16.3
 15.9
 13.4


 National roads and transport (cash)
 1.7
 2.5
 21.3
 22.1
 20.0
 21.9


 National roads and transport (real)
 2.0
 2.8
 23.5
 24.1
 21.2
 22.5


 Social work (cash)
 0.0
 1.0
 1.0
 1.1
 1.1
 1.1


 Social work (real)
 0.0
 1.1
 1.1
 1.2
 1.2
 1.1


 Nationalised industries (cash)
 0.0
 0.0
 1.2
 1.2
 1.3
 1.3


 Nationalised industries (real)
 0.0
 0.0
 1.3
 1.3
 1.4
 1.3


 Local authorities (cash)
 0.0
 8.5
 9.4
 34.9
 74.9
 116.2


 Local authorities (real)
 0.0
 9.6
 10.4
 38.0
 79.5
 119.4


 Total (cash)
 13.8
 28.0
 83.7
 108.9
 226.7
 297.8


 Total (real)
 16.0
 31.6
 92.4
 118.6
 240.7
 306.1



  Notes:

  1. Real prices to a base year of 2003-04.

  2. Data source March 2003 HM Treasury return.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect the PPP protocol that it agreed with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) in 2002 has had and how it has monitored implementation of the protocol.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive/STUC staffing protocol covers several areas relating to staffing issues in PPP projects. In general, consultation and communication with trades unions is more prominent and is started earlier on in the PPP process than previously. There are more public bodies, particularly local authorities with their schools PPP projects, considering the different ways in which facilities management services can be delivered within a PPP project. It is too early in the protocol’s implementation to judge its effect on the two tier workforce issue.

  It is for the public sector procuring body to monitor compliance with the protocol. The Executive is in regular contact with public bodies undertaking PPP projects and is able to provide guidance and advice on various issues, including compliance with the protocol. Both the Executive and the STUC will keep the operation of the protocol under review.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much, in total, has been provided in capital resources through all PFI and PPP projects and what the average rate of interest paid to all lenders has been for the provision of that capital.

Mr Andy Kerr: An estimate of the capital spending provided by the private sector in all public private partnership signed projects in Scotland in total to date is £2.3 billion. The rate of interest paid to lenders by PPP consortia for the provision of this capital is not collated centrally. This is a matter for individual public sector procuring bodies.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what central analysis is made of the overall impact of PFI or PPP contracts on its budget.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-7194 on 20 April 2004. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether PFI or PPP projects cost more or less to the public purse over their lifetime than projects funded in the traditional manner.

Mr Andy Kerr: The public private partnership procurement route must show value for money against a conventional procurement route before being selected. This involves consideration of whole life costs and benefits, for example risk transfer, for the length of the contract. So, whilst costs may initially seem higher, approved PPP projects present better value for money than a conventional procurement route over the lifetime of the project.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the full business case for each public sector capital project involving private finance and whether it will make a commitment to do so for each new project under consideration.

Mr Andy Kerr: Since May 1998 the NHS in Scotland has had a policy of publishing full business cases for signed projects. The Scottish Executive introduced a similar policy for all its PPP projects in June 1999, and all public sector bodies are expected to follow suit. One of the conditions of funding for the schools PPP projects is that the full business case be made public.

Public Private Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish analyses of full business cases in relation to out-turn costs for each public sector capital project involving private finance since 1999 and indicate whether each project would have cost more or less under traditional public procurement.

Mr Andy Kerr: Since May 1998, the NHS in Scotland has had a policy of publishing full business cases for signed projects. The Scottish Executive introduced a similar policy for all its PPP projects in June 1999, and all public sector bodies are expected to follow suit. One of the conditions of funding for the schools PPP projects is that the full business case be made public.

  The PPP procurement route must show value for money against a conventional procurement route before being selected. Value for money is assessed at outline business case stage and full business case stage. All PPP projects in Scotland have demonstrated value for money at full business case stage.

Water

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken, and what incentives are being offered, to encourage business and domestic water customers to conserve water.

Ross Finnie: Scottish Water is required to promote the sustainable use of water resources. For business customers, an incentive to conserve water is offered through charging arrangements. For domestic customers, water conservation is promoted by Scottish Water through publications, leaflets and educational material.